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Portland police union president: 'Why do we expose ourselves to the scrutiny of those who have never walked in our shoes?'

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Portland Police Association President Daryl Turner relayed his frustration to union members after he sat through the federal court hearing last week that drew testimony from at least 60 people distrustful of the Portland Police Bureau's ability to police its own officers.
(Bruce Ely/The Oregonian)

In a message to the rank-and-file, the president of the Portland police union questioned why officers open themselves to the scrutiny of others after he listened to a day-and-a-half of public testimony in federal court this past week from dozens of people who said they distrust police and their ability to police themselves.

The Portland Police Association, after months of negotiations, last year agreed to withdraw its opposition to the city's settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, which calls for a package of reforms to Portland police policies, training and oversight. The reforms are to address the Justice Department's findings in September 2012 that Portland police engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force against people with mental illness.

Portland Police Association president Daryl Turner, the union's lawyer Anil Karia, and Sgt. Tom Perkins, the union's secretary-treasurer, sat quietly through the hours of community testimony Tuesday and Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon.

Simon expects to rule in late March whether he'll accept or reject the settlement agreement, but has given each party to the case an opportunity to submit changes to the agreement before then.

Turner sent this message to his union members on Friday:

For all of Tuesday and half of Wednesday Tom Perkins, Anil
Karia, our labor attorney, and I sat and listened as community
organizations, community members and attorneys took their turn to bash Portland
Police Officers. Even as a 23 year veteran of the Portland Police Bureau,
never have I been exposed to such an array of complaints directed at the men
and women who risk their lives every day to protect those who fall victim to
crime, misfortune, or crisis.

Hours of testimony was presented; police reform organizations praising a
former Mayor who was the subject of an Oregon Attorney General's
investigation, citizens by the dozen who recounted police misconduct and
brutality while they themselves were not involved in any wrongdoing, and
misinformation. I left the Federal Courthouse wondering why we do the work
we do. Why do we put ourselves at risk on a daily basis? And why do
we expose ourselves to the scrutiny of those who have never walked in our
shoes? And then it came to me, like it always does. Because it's
just what we do!

I commend Judge Simon for listening to everyone's testimony, reading every
letter, and watching every video. He has shown the ultimate
professionalism through this entire process, which in itself is amazing.

As always, the Portland Police Association will allow the process to run its
course and face any challenges along the way as we draw to a conclusion of this
long and laborious journey.